Fish and Game Q&A: Are bang sticks legal to use in self-defense against sharks?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: We are spearfish divers and are wondering if bang sticks or powerheads are legal to use in self-defense against sharks approaching us. They are like a fold-out stick with a bullet at the end. You press the stick against a shark if it comes in too short, and it fires. There are many companies that will ship them to California but I heard they are a firearm and must be registered. I’ve also heard that because of what they are used for, they are legal and don’t need to be registered. I’ve called a few local police departments to ask but they have no idea. (Christopher)

Answer: California Fish and Game law does not prohibit possession of these devices. However, according to retired Department of Fish and Game Capt. Phil Nelms, bang sticks and/or powerheads that use an explosive cartridge are firearms. Firearms are not a legal method of take for sharks and can’t be used to take or land sharks, or any other species of fish.

Q: I have a disability in my right eye which prevents me from being able to view through the peep sights on my bow. However, I’ve learned to use my left eye for shooting my rifle, and have practiced with a crossbow. I would like to be able to hunt during the archery season with my crossbow. How can I legally do this? (Erik, Laytonville)

Illinois teen wins Federal Junior Duck Stamp contest

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that Abraham Hunter, of Vienna, Ill., has won the 2011-12 Federal Junior Duck Stamp competition. The 17-year-old's painting of a pair of ringneck ducks will grace the next Junior Duck stamp, which will be available for purchase beginning June 24.

"I’d like to congratulate our winning artist as well as the participants in the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program," said Rowan Gould, acting director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. "These young people not only possess amazing artistic talent, but are also future conservation stewards who will care for our birds, fish and other wild creatures."

Chosen by a panel of judges at the national Junior Duck Stamp design contest held Friday at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in Philadelphia, the acrylic entry, which previously won the Illinois Junior Duck Stamp contest, was judged the winner among best-of-show entries from all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Proceeds from the $5 stamp, prized by stamp collectors, conservationists and the general public, support environmental and conservation education programs in the United States.

Hunter will receive a $5,000 award as well as a trip to the First Day of Sale ceremony for the federal and junior duck stamps, to be held June 24 at the Bass Pro Shops store in Katy, Texas.

Foth the federal and junior duck stamp artists will sign stamps and first day covers at the ceremony, which is free and open to the public.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: The winning image that will appear on the 2011-12 Federal Junior Duck stamp. Credit: Abraham Hunter / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 

Fish and Game Q&A: May I plant wild turkeys on private land?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I have a few questions about putting Eastern wild turkey poults out on private land. I just love to hunt them. There are turkeys out there already but I would like for there to be a lot more. How or what can be done to get more turkeys planted on the property? (Joe D.)

Answer: Permission will not be granted to any person to release turkeys into the wild that have been domestically reared for propagation or hunting purposes. Only turkeys trapped from the wild by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) may be released into the wild (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 671.6 (b)).

According to DFG turkey program manager Scott Gardner, besides being illegal, releasing captive-reared turkey poults will not ultimately produce more turkeys in the wild, and could actually harm the wild population. Beginning in the 1920s, DFG raised turkeys and other game birds and released them into the wild. By 1951, DFG and other wildlife agencies stopped the practice because it wasn’t resulting in self-sustaining wild populations of turkeys. In 1959, DFG started importing and releasing the Rio Grande subspecies of wild turkeys that were trapped in the wild in Texas. Wild trapped birds were highly successful and virtually all of California’s current wild turkey population came from these releases.

Fish and Game Q&A: Might it be time to consider a mountain lion hunting season?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I am looking for some information on the seriousness of the apparent increase in mountain lion attacks in the news lately. There have been several incidents of bears attacking humans, and we have a bear season. I’m wondering if it might not be time to reconsider having a mountain lion season? I understand that more mountain lions are killed each year now with depredation permits than were ever killed with a mountain lion season.

What can you tell me about the population increase in mountain lions in California in the past 10 years or so? Would it require legislation to overturn the existing law? Would Department of Fish and Game  data support the need for such a reversal? (Bill T.)

Answer: It’s important to note that mountain lion (puma) attacks on humans are very rare. In the last decade, there have been only four confirmed attacks in California, three of which were nonfatal. Though you may be seeing more media coverage of mountain lion attacks on domestic animals, there’s no evidence that the number of these incidents is increasing. While DFG does not formally track the number of domestic animals killed by pumas, we do keep track of the number of depredation permits issued for problem mountain lions. The numbers of depredation permits issued and resulting pumas killed have actually been fewer in recent years, though.

Fish and Game Q&A: Can I have a 'spare air' device with me when abalone diving?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: While abalone diving, I would like to keep a very small, emergency supply of air on my person as a safety precaution. The device would be shrink-wrapped to indicate evidence of use. The idea being that if the seal is intact, there would be no evidence of "use" and I would be in compliance with the law. The product I’m asking about can be seen at www.spareairxtreme.com/.

Would I be in violation of any of the regulations if I were to wear such a device while taking abalone, assuming I did not use the device and had sufficient evidence to prove such a claim? (Aaron L.)

Answer: The law prohibits the "use of scuba gear or surface-supplied air to take abalone" (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 29.15(e)). According to DFG Lt. Dennis McKiver, this includes having it in your possession, even if you are not actually breathing off of it. The law also states that abalone may not be taken or possessed aboard any boat, vessel, or floating device in the water containing scuba or surface-supplied air. Since you are not allowed to have scuba gear in your possession on a boat while taking abalone (even if the scuba gear is not being used), to be consistent with the law, this "spare air" product would also not be allowed as the same principles apply.

Q: Spring turkey season is one of my favorite times of the year and I’m heading out for a gobbler next weekend. I do a lot of my hunting in prime hog country and like to combine my options when I’m there. I usually hunt with a bow but am considering carrying my .44 revolver for hogs, and a shotgun for turkeys. Could this cause a conflict if I’m stopped because the .44 is not legal for turkey hunting? If all lead restrictions are observed, would it be legal to carry the handgun while turkey hunting with a shotgun? What about carrying the handgun and the bow at the same time? (Phillip L.)

GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons under fire for Zimbabwe elephant-hunting video

GoDaddy.com Chief Executive Bob Parsons has been drawing angry comments and threats of boycotts and cancellations after he posted a video of him killing a problem bull elephant during a hunting expedition in Zimbabwe.

The video (viewer discretion advised due to graphic content) shows the CEO and his hunting party looking over a farmer's damaged crops, shooting at elephants at night, and Parsons posing with the dead bull. It also shows crowds of villagers field dressing the carcass the next morning.

"I kind of figured that this might happen. So be it, I'm not ashamed of what I did," Parsons, whose Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company provides domain and Web hosting services, told myFoxPhoenix Tuesday. "All these people that are complaining that this shouldn't happen, that these people who are starving to death otherwise shouldn't eat these elephants, you probably see them driving through at McDonald's or cutting a steak. These people [Zimbabwe villagers] don't have that option."

While a preponderance of the comments posted on Parsons' website blog were negative, he has his proponents.

"As long as it goes to good use as food then it's all good," posted Chad from Texas; "I'm sure local villagers appreciated the protein," wrote Alan Dean Foster of Arizona; and, from Jonathan Mackenzie of Zimbabwe, "As a Zimbabwean who has worked in ... areas where the necessity to kill [rogue] animals takes place I appreciate your actions regardless of your motivations."

Parsons posts an explanation on his hunts -- this was his second -- to take out problem elephants:

I spend a few weeks in Zimbabwe each year helping the farmers deal with problem elephants. The people there have very little, many die each year from starvation and one of the problems they have is the elephants, of which there are thousands and thousands, that trash many of their fields destroying the crops. The tribal authorities request that I and others like me, patrol the fields before and during the harvest -- we can't cover them all, there are just a few of us -- and drive the elephant from the fields. The farmers try to run the elephants away by cracking whips, beating drums and lighting fires. All of this is ignored by the elephants. When my team catch elephants in a field (there are never just one) we typically kill one of them and the rest leave for good. After we kill an elephant the people butcher the elephant and it feeds a number of villages. These people have literally nothing and when an elephant is killed it's a big event for them, they are going to be able to eat some protein. This is no different than you or I eating beef. If at all possible we avoid elephant cows and only kill mature bulls. By just killing bulls it has no effect on the elephant social structure (as it is matriarchal) as well as the herd size. The reason is another bull quickly steps up and breeds in place of the bull taken.

Parsons said that the hunts and helping the starving villagers is the most rewarding of everything he does, and that he hopes to go again next year.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: GoDaddy CEO and founder Bob Parsons, right, and his wife Renee pose on the red carpet at a recent event. Credit: Roy Dabner / European Pressphoto Agency

 

California Department of Fish and Game offers permit-only wild-pig hunt

The California Department of Fish and Game is accepting applications for participation in a permit-only wild-pig hunt in May at Bobcat Ranch, located west of Winters in Yolo County's Vaca Mountain foothills.

This hunting opportunity will give 56 wild-pig hunters access to the private property during two archery periods, two apprentice periods and four general-method periods and is being conducted under the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement program.

SHARE is a voluntary program in which participating property owners provide public access to their land, offering hunting, fishing and other recreational access that would not be available otherwise.

Applications are available on the DFG website and must be received by 4 p.m. on April 5.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: A wild pig on the range. Credit: California Department of Fish and Game

Fish and Game Q&A: What's the limit when fishing catch and release?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: If I fish for trout using a barbless lure and catch five during the day but release them all, is that still considered my limit for the day?

Answer: Fish caught and immediately released do not count toward your daily bag limit unless the fish dies or is not released in a viable condition. If fish are not released, they are counted toward your limit whether you keep them or give them to someone else. Fish that are maintained and later released may also count toward the daily bag limit if they show signs of stress or other indicators they can not swim off in a viable condition. Keep in mind that any fish with a zero bag limit may not be retained or possessed at any time, so these fish must be released immediately no matter what condition they are in upon landing.

Q: I legally shot a black bear last year in California and then took it to a taxidermist in Nevada who was  going to create a bearskin rug for me. Somehow the taxidermist mistakenly gave my bear away to another customer and so then gave me a different bear rug to replace it. This wasn’t a good solution for me though because I don’t want this bearskin from an animal I didn’t take. Can I legally sell it since it was taken in another state? (Anonymous)

California Department of Fish and Game offers black powder hunting clinic

The California Department of Fish and Game will be holding a black powder hunting clinic on April 30 in Merced County as part of its advanced hunter education program. Designed for all skill levels, the clinic will include both lectures and live-fire exercises.

The lecture portion will include a brief history of black powder shooting, different styles of black powder rifles used today, how to safely load and shoot a black powder rifle, laws and regulations pertaining to black powder hunting and strategies for hunting with black powder firearms.

The live-fire exercise will include target shooting with black powder firearms. All course material and loaner black powder firearms will be provided. Participants should not bring their personal firearms.

The clinic will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the River Oaks Range in Winton, seven miles north of Atwater in Merced County.

The cost is $45 and space is limited to 25, so those interested are advised to register early.

Those 16 and younger will be admitted free but must be accompanied by an adult. Registration, including fee payment, closes two weeks before the workshop date and can be completed online.

After registering, participants will receive an e-mail with a map to the facility and a list of items to bring.

For more information, e-mail or call DFG Lt. Dan Lehman at (916) 358-4356.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: A hunter puts black powder into his single shot flintlock. Credit: Branson Reynolds / For The Times

One of the youngest female hunters to take Africa's 'Big 5'

Liz Caddell knew since she was a youngster what she wanted to do, something many girls likely don't even think about.

"I was probably 8 or 9 when I wanted to start hunting," Caddell says on her website. "It seemed like boys always got to have more fun -- riding four-wheelers and going hunting."

Caddell has taken that interest and run with it, and at 20 years old she became one of the youngest female hunters to take Africa's "Big 5" -- a lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and Cape buffalo. (Since it's illegal to kill rhinos, Caddell used a dart gun to tranquilize it. A veterinarian was with the hunting party to ensure the animal wasn't harmed.)

The Fort Smith, Ark., resident and her hunting accomplishment will be featured on an episode of "Christensen Outdoors," airing Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and again on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. on the Sportsman Channel.

Caddell got her leopard in Namibia in 2008 and in 2009 bagged a lion. Caddell returned to Africa in 2010 needing a rhino, elephant and Cape buffalo to complete her Big 5.

The elephant, deemed a "problem animal" by local government officials because it had taken to raiding and damaging villager's crops, turned out to be a memorable hunt for Caddell for an unforseen reason.

Fish and Game Q&A: Is it legal to shoot downed game after shooting time ends?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: Five minutes before the end of shooting time I knocked down a snow goose that fell out of range and started swimming. I waded after it in the flooded rice field but couldn’t catch it or get within range until after shooting time ended. In a case like that, do I shoot late or let it go and risk a waste of game citation? Do wardens consider "spirit of the law" as opposed to "letter of the law?" (Jim S.)

Answer: According to Department of Fish and Game assistant chief Mike Carion, if you are "in hot pursuit" of the goose, you should be able to reach it before the end of shoot time, or at least within a minute or two. Bottom line answer is this: It is illegal to take the bird after legal shoot time. If a warden was watching you pursue the game and shoot late, they would use their judgment as to whether a crime was committed. On the other hand, waste of game only applies when a person does not make a reasonable effort to retrieve. If the hunter tries to catch it and it swims off, it is a reasonable effort. Breaking the law is not a reasonable effort. So, if the hunter doesn’t shoot late, no laws are broken!

Q: I just saw some new trout lures containing little glow sticks to attract fish. Someone told me that using light to attract fish is illegal and hence these lures are illegal to use. What do you think? (Shawn A.)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service national survey to begin

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will begin conducting its national survey of fishing, hunting and wildlife-associated recreation and are requesting that hunters, anglers and other wildlife enthusiasts participate if contacted for interviews scheduled to begin April 1.

The information, collected by the U.S. Census Bureau primarily through telephone interviews to be conducted April to June and September to October this year and January to March, 2012, provides the only comprehensive statistical database available on Americans' participation in and spending on hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching in the 50 states.

"We appreciate the anglers, hunters, birdwatchers and other citizens throughout the United States who voluntarily participate in the survey when contacted," said the wildlife service's acting director, Rowan Gould. "The survey results help wildlife and natural resource managers quantify how much Americans value wildlife resources in terms of both participation and expenditures."

The survey, conducted every five years since 1955, will involve 53,000 households from the Census Bureau's master address file. From this information, the bureau will select samples of 19,000 anglers and hunters and 10,000 wildlife watchers and follow up with further detailed questions.

"The last survey published in 2006 revealed 87.5 million Americans enjoyed some form of wildlife-related recreation and spent more than $122.3 billion pursuing their activities," said Hannibal Bolton, assistant director for the service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program. "The survey is a critical information resource for federal and state wildlife agencies, outdoor and tourist industries, local governments, planners, conservation groups, journalists and others interested in wildlife and outdoor recreation."

Participation is voluntary and all responses are confidential. Preliminary survey findings will be available in spring 2012 with final reports issued beginning in the fall, to be posted on the restoration program's Web page.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Laying the groundwork for a day of duck hunting, Jim Fisher tosses a decoy as his dog, Willow, looks on. Credit: Fred Greenslade / Reuters